TRIBUTES have been paid to a Second World War bomber pilot from Whitchurch who flew again on his 100th birthday, following his death last month.

John Trotman, of Marchamley Wood, shot to national fame when he took to the skies for to mark his century before one final flight 12 months later and turning his licence in.

He died on Tuesday, August 27 leaving behind Olwen, his wife of nearly 18 years, as well as children and step-children Sonia, Michael, Anthony, Christopher, Timothy, Adrian and the late Peter.

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For his 100th celebrations John – a pilot during the war with RAF bomber command – flew into RAF Shawbury from Sleap, near Wem, where he was greeted by its most senior officer with cake.

The cake, noted Olwen to The Herald, did not make it home.

John flew around 70 missions over Germany in his five years of service, telling the Herald when interviewed in 2021 that he split that they comprised 30 missions in a Wellington and 40 as a ‘pathfinder’ in a Mosquito which led the way for the bombers behind.

He flew 19 missions to Berlin alone.

He called himself ‘a lucky one’ with the survival rate of airmen on that raid considered to be 10 per cent. He was awarded the Legion of Honour from France.

After leaving the RAF, with some time spent as a flying instructor, John became a vaccuum cleaner repair man before climbing the ladder to become an executive salesman and did not return to the air until he was 83 after the passing of his then wife.

Both John and Olwen said his right-hand man Keith Walker was ‘indispensable’ to him when he flew.

In recent years, John published his memoir of his missions over Germany and how he only had minute targets to hit, which he invariably did.

He was only able to tell his story after the logbook he had sold went to auction. It was seen on the QVC shopping channel and a cheesed-off New Zealander rang him up to send it back because too many people were contacting him.

Olwen says her husband enjoyed his new-found fame and was delighted to be invited to gallantry dinners with Chris.

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He also this year, aged 102, travelled to Portsmouth for the official D-Day 80 commemorations and was delighted to meet King Charles, Queen Camilla and William, Prince of Wales.

She added that she and John ‘had almost 18 happy years and he was a joy to be married to’.

There will be a memorial and celebration of John’s life on Thursday, October 10 with a venue to be confirmed.